Eirien
by lilyofthedarkvalley
Summary: A little daisy cannot be forgotton. Not with a hundred lifetimes.
1. Chapter 1

**A little oneshot. Legolas.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of the Rings. **

"Eirien, eirien, eirein." A little girl sings; a daisy chain clasped in her chubby fist. Her eyes light up and she pounces on another little white flower. Her brow furrowed, she begins to determinedly poke and prod the stem until it joins. She soon continues her search.

Legolas watches her, a small smile playing on his lips. He calls out:

"Melian!"

She looks up, her almost…navy eyes looking curiously at him. Her cropped hair is dark and daises have been carefully thrust into the blue cloth she wears on her head.

"La, Legolas?"

He smiles and asks her to show him. She happily complies, running to him and holding the daisy chain up.

"Nimir!" he applauds. He pulls her to him and kisses her on the head.

She nods distractedly: she knows the brilliance of her creation. She moves off again, jumping on the flowers and singing her little ditty about the flowers she loves so much. Legolas looks down and again begins to immerse himself in the letters from far away Minas Tirith. Greenwood seems so far removed from the grandeur of the cold marble halls, he reflects. He much prefers the safety and naturalistic atmosphere of his home.

The sound of hoofbeats startles him and he looks up. A horse and rider, dressed in the colours of the Rangers of Ithilien. He leaps to his feet: what crisis has befallen? He wonders in horror. The horse gallops towards him, its muscles rippling, its nostrils flaring.

The rider draws his sword.

He levels it flat with the little girls head.

She turns, and sees the magnificent beast.

Her eyes widen and she begins to run, as does Legolas.

His cry splits the air.

The sword comes down and there is a thud and a crack.

The tiny girl's body flies through the air and lands. She perfectly, sickeningly still.

Legolas reaches her and begins to flutter over, calling her name over and over.

She lies, her blue eyes glass, reflecting the grey sky above. In her limp hand she still holds the daisies, the ground stained beneath her head.


	2. The Run

Legolas' feet pound a silent tattoo on the ground. He is running for the life of someone else. It has been a day and a half since he left Greenwood, and his desperation has meant he has run almost to Rohan already. He fears the speed gifted to him by the Valar will not be quick enough. He looks at the still form in his arms. She is pale and drawn, and the wound to her head is bleeding again. Legolas adjusts the bandages as he darts towards the border of the Riddermark. He will stop for an hour at Edoras, to request bandages and water, before he runs again. His hope is Ithilien, and he will get her there. Éomer will surely welcome him to Edoras, even at this time of worrying. Lothíriel is ready to have a baby. Legolas settles himself back into the rhythm of his speed, willing himself faster, until he is a blur of gold and green.

X

"Legolas? How wonderful to see you! Who, by the Valar is that?" a cheerful Éomer asks, though Legolas can see the worry in his eyes.

"Where are the Healers?" asks Legolas forcefully, ignoring Éomer's questions.

"Well, they are housed at the back of Edoras, but…"

It is too late. Legolas is already off down the corridor, the tiny girl's head lolling. Éomer watches for a moment, before striding after the elf, bewildered by his curtness. When the King arrives at the Healing Centre, Legolas has already removed the makeshift head bandage that covered the girl's dark hair. Éomer flinches as he sees the horrific wound that is spliced across the back of her head. Legolas begins to wash and dress the wound, looking carefully at his charge when she stirs and moans quietly.

"What happened?" asks Éomer fearfully. Legolas knows that the King is scared of more darkness, but the elleth does not reply. Legolas quickly ties the new bandage and fluidly hoists the girl up again, before grabbing water from the table by the bed. He nods to Éomer, and begins to run again. When Legolas is a few leagues from Edoras, he turns his head briefly, to see Éomer standing on the steps. His green cloak flutters in the wind, like a pennant. Legolas shakes his head to clear it of the remorse, and runs now towards Gondor, and the only thing that will save her.

X

Legolas sees Minas Tirith, and wishes that he could see Aragorn. There is no time now, however. He runs on.

"Aragorn?" Arwen asks softly. Aragorn looks up from the reports. Arwen gestures to the window and Aragorn stands up, looking to where she is pointing. A tiny golden haired figure is shooting across the landscape and cuts across the Pelennor, heading in the direction of the sea. He holds something in his arms. The Queen and King look at each other, confusion mirrored in their eyes. Suddenly Arwen's expression saddens.

"Do you think he goes to the Grey Havens?" she asks, unhappily.

"I do not know, for you would think he could say goodbye."

X

Finally: Ithilien. It stands like a beacon, ushering him towards it. Legolas suddenly knows how much strength he has taken from his body, yet he does not slow. He speeds up, running with all his might. Emyn Armen is there before him. He runs up the steep stone steps and carefully lays Eirien before the door. He walks back down the steps and bellows:

"EOWYN! FARAMIR!" 

Then, as if in slow motion, he falls to the floor. There they lay, two broken figures in the fading light.


End file.
